


A Sentinel's Partner

by Bluewolf458



Series: A Bad Time of Year [2]
Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2019-04-21 03:39:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14276118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: Jim and Blair discuss how a sentinel needs a companion





	A Sentinel's Partner

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2918 sentinel bingo prompt 'wildcard'
> 
> Continued from A Bad Time of Year

After Simon and Daryl Banks left, Jim Ellison looked at Blair.

"I've taken a little time to look at that book of yours... and I think I'd like to discuss some of the things in it with you..." he said.

***

A Sentinel's Partner

by Bluewolf

"This isn't the best time or place," Blair said. "I imagine you have work to do, that you abandoned to help Captain Banks -?"

"Well... yes."

"And I could certainly be interrupted at any time by a student. If I were to come and see you tonight, since you have the book? You could bring it and come to see me, but then you'd have the hassle of taking it home with you again - a quick look through it won't be enough, you'll need to read it properly."

Jim nodded. "I won't keep it longer than necessary, but you're right; I do need to read it properly. The quick glance I had was while I was waiting for Simon... How about 6.30 tonight, and I'll give you dinner? Maybe something like chicken stir fry?"

"That would be very good of you."

"Well, you're doing me a favor. 852 Prospect, apartment 307."

Blair scribbled that down. "I should remember it, but making a note of things... "

***

The first thing Blair saw when Jim let him in was his book, sitting open on the coffee table.

"Dinner's nearly ready," Jim said as he took Blair's coat and hung it up.

Blair sat on the couch beside the coffee table, and glanced down at the open page. Jim returned to where a wok sat on a burner, the heat turned low, and gave the contents a quick stir.

"Smells good," Blair said, partly to disguise his interest in where Jim had been reading. Of course, he could simply be reading through it; equally, he could have found a segment that particularly interested him. But it was only polite to wait and let Jim tell him - or ask him...

***

The food tasted as good as it smelled, and it was followed by an apple and cherry pie that had Blair drooling in ecstasy. Jim chuckled. "Not my baking," he said. "My father's housekeeper bakes me a pie or a cake every week. I don't have much contact with my father, but Sally keeps in touch."

Blair helped with the washing up, then they went to the couch.

"Right," he said. "Discuss away!"

Jim was silent for a moment, looking at the open page. "It says here that every sentinel had a companion, who could help him - although it doesn't say how."

"Do you have a partner?"

"No, I did have one... but Jack disappeared a year or so ago. He was supposed to  be delivering ransom money for the son of a businessman... but he was never seen again, and neither was the kidnapped man. There was no word from the kidnappers. IA decided that Jack had done a runner with the money. I know he was badly in debt, but there's no way Jack would have taken that money."

"The kidnappers killed him?"

"That's my guess, though IA didn't see it that way. But I refused to have another partner. I work alone."

Blair rubbed his chin. "You need a partner, Jim. Otherwise the senses become - well, something of a danger.

"Every time I visited a 'primitive' tribe I asked about sentinels. None of them admitted to having one 'now', but several spoke of having had one in the past - and they all said that he had had a partner to help him.

"The main danger seems to be the zone-out factor I mentioned; the blank spells. The partner's main... duty, I suppose, was to keep the sentinel from zoning - or pull him out of a zone if in fact he couldn't prevent it.

"But if you don't have a partner... you could have a problem."

"There's nobody else in the department who doesn't have a partner." Jim was silent for a moment. "Even if I did have a partner, you would have to explain... " He gave a wry grin. "Pity you already have a job." Blair looked at him, and he shrugged. "I don't know, Chief - somehow I feel... I know we've only just met, but somehow... "

"I know what you mean," Blair said softly. "I seem to have an almost overwhelming urge to help you... and it is possible, short-term."

"It is? But from what you said - "

"I know. But short-term would at least give you some help, and better than nothing."

"But if I become dependent on you, what happens at the end of the short term?"

"We face that when we come to it."

"Okay. So what's your idea?"

"I apply for a sabbatical to research for another PhD; and look for a ride along with you to do that research."

"But if people knew about the senses - "

"Yes, I'd say even rain forest tribes knew that it was better kept secret; so officially my theme would have to be something involving the police, not studying a sentinel.

"Maybe something about the 'them and us' relationship between the police and the general public? Or simply the police as protectors?"

Jim grinned. "Yes, that would probably work."

***

Meanwhile, in another apartment not too far away, Simon and Daryl Banks were struggling their way through a meal that neither wanted, but both knew they had to eat.

"Dad," Daryl said as he pushed his almost-finished-dinner plate away. "I was thinking. Dr. Sandburg was really nice to me today. I'd like to give him a Christmas present."

"Good idea... any idea what you'd like to give him?"

"No... but we could go round the stores, see if something says 'Sandburg' to me."

***

On the day Rainier closed for the holiday, a small box was delivered there for Blair. A label on it said, 'Thank you. Daryl Banks.' He opened the box.

It contained a beautifully carved wooden wolf.


End file.
